MCWD presents expansion, distribution projects to mayors

CEBU, Philippines -  To ensure the smooth implementation of P1.91-billion worth of expansion and distribution improvement projects in five local governments in Metro Cebu, the management of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District presented the projects to mayors and asked for their support. 

MCWD met with mayors of the towns of Liloan, Compostela, Consolacion and Cordova and the city of Lapu-Lapu. MCWD presented its initiatives to meet the water demand of each local government and the areas covered by the expansion projects.

MCWD General Armando Paredes said the expansion projects are the water district's way of supporting the growth of these LGUs and of Metro Cebu as a whole.

The five local government units are part of Hydraulic Area 1 or the area covered by the bulk water supply coming from Cebu Provincial Government and the Cebu Manila Water Development Inc. project, which will bring in additional 18,000 cubic meters of water per day by July this year.

The volume will increase to 35,000 cubic meters per day in the second year up to the 20th year, which is the duration of the contract.

The implementation of all expansion projects for HA1 is expected to commence in September this year and is expected to be done by December 2015.

The mayors agreed to help MCWD acquire road right-of-way and approve applications for excavation permits.

MCWD also informed the mayors of its proposed 12 percent rate increase to cover the cost of water from Carmen and the infrastructure used for distributing the water to MCWD's new and existing service connections that badly need additional water.

MCWD's current daily production is around 200,000 cubic meters of water per day.

It is only serving around 43 percent of the total water demand of its service area. The total water demand is projected to increase to 416, 000 cubic meters per day in the year 2020.

Mayors Vincent Frasco of Liloan and Joel Quino of Compostela asked MCWD to serve more people in their municipalities, where many still do not have MCWD service connections.

Paredes assured the mayors that with the additional supply from Carmen, both LGUs will get more water supply.

Frasco and Consolacion Mayor Teresa Alegado also raised the issue on groundwater extraction. In response, MCWD also presented its initiatives to manage and take care of the aquifer, like the tripartite agreement on groundwater well inventory and the imposition of a water levy on extractors of water for commercial purposes.

Both mayors agreed to enter into a tripartite agreement with MCWD and the National Water Resources Board on groundwater protection and support the passage of an ordinance on water levy.

Alegado and Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy, for their part, also expressed their support for septage management to ensure the water quality in Metro Cebu will improve and will be protected for future generations.

Since the implementation of these projects is expected to affect traffic flow in their LGUs, MCWD submitted copies of the expansion plans to the mayors for better coordination.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza, for her part, asked MCWD to ensure that project contractors will strictly follow the conditions of the excavation permits to minimize the effect of the diggings to motorists and the public.

Apart from revenue-sharing in water extraction, MCWD informed the mayors of water projects that they plan to implement to benefit poor communities in each LGU.  (FREEMAN)